Happy 2012

I guess since it's a new year, it wouldn't hurt to try to get this blog up and running again. I've always been a very avid journal-er, and forget how good it makes me feel to keep a record of life's events.

As I look around me, I've come to realize I've been blessed beyond measure. I remember as friends of mine left on missions, (over ten years ago!) they all started to repeat a saying as they gave their farewell talks. They would say, "I'm so grateful to be standing where I'm standing, and seeing what I'm seeing." In all the different places we stand, seeing all the different things we see, I hope we can be constantly learning, constantly growing, and consistently working toward new goals that will help us to shake off the things we need to change about ourselves and develop new qualities that help make us who we would like to become. In any circumstances, I hope we can all be grateful to be "standing where [we are] standing and seeing what [we are] seeing.

As for me, I've been thinking a lot lately about what qualities I'd like to develop. One of the big ones for me is compassion/sympathy. It is so easy to spit out an "I'm so sorry," or a "That is just so sad," or an "Is there anything I can do for you?" We all know how to go through the motions of giving service and being concerned for others... because that's we should do. But I wonder how many of us struggle to really connect the emotion/heart of it with the action. That's what I am hoping to improve on this year. I want to do and say the things I do and say because I really feel it deep down. To some degree, I do feel it already. But I guess you could say I'd like to feel it deeper than I do. So there you go. 152 insights to my SOUL. (You've Got Mail is one of my favorite movies.)

The other thing I've been thinking about is how important it is to find joy in small things. I want to pass these things down to my children so they learn early to appreciate things that make them happy. I've seen this quote all over the place, lately. Almost like it's been yelling at me. But it's a message I needed to hear. No sense in sitting here wondering why everyone else seems to get to do the things I wish I were doing.